Walter White, Don Draper and the President! Part Three, Behind the Hamilton #StruxSelfie Sensation

Behind the *Hamilton* #StruxSelfie

*Hamilton* cast member Betsy Struxness shares more stories behind the infamous #StruxSelfie series!
10 PHOTOS

Betsy Struxness #StruxSelfie Part 3 — President Barack Obama... PRESIDENT! BARACK! OBAMA! I could stop right there...but I’m not gonna! :) So this picture was HARD to get, and it’s actually a composite of two shots because of how dark it was backstage in contrast to how bright it was onstage...where he was giving a speech...on our stage. We were told we couldn’t bring phones onstage after our special show for the DNC, but clearly there were phones to be had. I asked if I could borrow one, took dark selfies of myself and bright shots of POTUS, then combined them later for this shot. After his speech we were able to meet him... AGAIN and shake his hand... AGAIN. Crazy. He made sure to shake everyone’s hand and make eye contact while doing so. Clearly it was an amazing experience for all of us involved, cast and crew. Betsy Struxness

President Barack Obama... PRESIDENT! BARACK! OBAMA! I could stop right there...but I’m not gonna! :) So this picture was HARD to get, and it’s actually a composite of two shots because of how dark it was backstage in contrast to how bright it was onstage...where he was giving a speech...on our stage. We were told we couldn’t bring phones onstage after our special show for the DNC, but clearly there were phones to be had. I asked if I could borrow one, took dark selfies of myself and bright shots of POTUS, then combined them later for this shot. After his speech we were able to meet him... AGAIN and shake his hand... AGAIN. Crazy. He made sure to shake everyone’s hand and make eye contact while doing so. Clearly it was an amazing experience for all of us involved, cast and crew.

Jon Hamm. This photo grabbed the attention of E! News and they reached out to me in claiming interest in my Twitter and IG account. They wanted info on Jon Hamm’s visit to the theatre, asking who he was there with, and in return would feature my selfies. Via my agent, we politely declined to comment. These celebrities have been so kind when they are visiting us, and quite frankly one day I’d like to work with them, so being a spy for E! News wasn’t really what I was looking for. But hey, ‘twas a fun interaction

Bryan Cranston, of "Breaking Bad" fame, posing here with castmate Carleigh Bettiol was awesome. He and his wife, Robin, were lovely and kind, and after I took this shot, I explained to Robin what I was doing and showed her other shots that I’d taken. She laughed and found them quite delightful. The fun of this shot is the flash on Bryan and Carleigh and not on me which makes this feel superimposed and perhaps faked. But I assure you, it was not faked.

Cate Blanchett is chatting with castmate Sydney James Harcourt here after seeing the show. She is as regal in person as she appears on film and was incredibly complimentary about the show and our performances in it. I have looked up to this woman for years and was thrilled to look up to her in person...she’s so tall and gorgeous and articulate! :)

Diane Keaton talking to our King George III the third, Andrew Rannells after a show one night. Meeting iconic women of film and experiencing their warmth and generosity in person makes it so clear as to why they have stayed relevant for decades. Diane Keaton was no exception. She was so full of joy and authenticity that it was infectious and brought smiles to everyone’s face that she encountered. What a bright human being.

Jennifer Aniston holding court with castmates Christopher Jackson, Sasha Hutchings and Neil Haskell. She also came to see us downtown at The Public but was unable to come backstage after. This time around she got to stay and made time to chat with us. Again, the warmth and authenticity from her was both surprising and unsurprising. She was absolutely lovely and brought a friend…

Kathy Najimy was Jennifer Aniston’s date for the show. I was SO excited to meet her, and here you can see she’s leaving Lin-Manuel Miranda shaking his head from all the compliments she’s giving him. As excited as I was to meet her, she did not disappoint. Bubbly, kind, funny. Everything I wanted her to be she was.

Secretary of State John Kerry...and yes I’ve voted for him before. While I’m not hugely into politics myself, I’ve really been enjoying all the politicos that have been coming to see the show. They are the ones that make me feel like I’m part of something incredibly historic. John Kerry is another that made it a point to look in your eyes when he was talking to you. Not that anyone has been rude, but the immense amount of kindness that we are given when meeting folks of his ilk has been refreshing and surprising.

Steve Martin has been a hero of mine for YEARS!!!! I grew up watching his films, enjoy him as an author and can’t wait to see Bright Star, his new musical with Edie Brickell. Upon telling him what a big fan I am of his, he turned it around very quickly and told me that he’s now a fan of mine. While he may have been putting me on a little, I totally don’t care... he’s Steve Martin and was awesome to meet.

What better way to cap this installment off than with THE Oprah Winfrey, and of course Lin-Manuel Miranda photobombing the #struxselfie appropriately. I also love the image of castmate Andrew Chappelle in the phone behind us even though you can’t actually see his face. This was taken in Lin’s dressing room and was quite crowded, and people kept moving in and out of my frame, blocking Oprah. But I MUST say, I am quite pleased with the outcome, and in line with all the other celebs, she was as lovely as that smile on her face.